An Everlasting Promise
by dearestxina
Summary: Rewrite "THE REASON TO LIVE" : Due to Tatsuki's desperate plead, Grimmjow has been forced to meet Orihime after a year from the chaotic drama. Just as promised, he pays an unexpected visit, taking Orihime on a friendly date. And just as everything was fine, she breaks the shocking news to him. So, what exactly had happened a year ago? Where do they stand now? Please R
1. Prologue

**A/N: Welcome back, my fellow readers. I am proud to say that my revised story will be 100x more heart wrenchingly sadder. *evil laughter* Well, I have finally been able to organize and re-edit the plot to a point where everything ties together and is a bit more realistic. Please enjoy and spread the word. Share this with your friends if you want to see them bawl. (Okay, maybe you won't think it's sad but unless you have no heart like an arrancar, I doubt it). Welcome back and please, do enjoy.**

* * *

**An Everlasting Promise**

* * *

**Ulquiorra Schiffer**

"The human heart, such a useless thing,

A mere expression for the weak minded,

A mere excuse for one's sorrows,

A merely worthless concept.

And yet, here I stand vulnerable,

As you hold mine, within your very own hands."

**Orihime Inoue**

"If I were the rain, just as it can connect the eternally separated earth and sky,

Could I, if I reached for the stars, connect with one's heart?"

**Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez**

"And just like that, he decided to fuckin' walk off.

Son of a fuckin' bitch."

**Ichigo Kurosaki**

"I am sorry that I can't make you smile like he did

I am sorry that you can't love me like you loved him,

And I am sorry that I can't replace this void,

But I will promise you my shoulder,

I will promise you my heart,

And I will promise you with everything I have,

That I will protect you to the last of my breath."

**Tatsuki Arisawa**

"Your pain and anguish,

Your tears and sorrows,

Your happiness and excitement,

Your hope and love,

Because they all stem from down here,

We are all able to cherish and move on."


	2. An Old Friend

**A/N: Welcome back everyone! **

**Recap: A Japanese host is a man who is given money to entertain and drink with (usually) older women. Although paying them to have sex is usually a rare case, if paid enough, Japanese men will sell their bodies for pleasure.**

**Ulquiorra is the number one host of Shinjuku Japan, otherwise known as 'Four'. Working for Aizen, who is an underground drug lord and previous Yakuza boss of "The Espada," Ulquiorra abides complete obedience in exchange for his mere existence. ****Indulge in this catastrophic love story born between a man whose life has seen nothing but despair and a young girl with an unbreakable spirit, believing in nothing but the meaning behind the value of the heart. **

* * *

**Chapter One**

_RRRIIINNNGG!_

A piercing alarm echoed and reverberated within and through the empty hallways of Karakura High, finally signaling the end of the school day. The once vacant halls soon flooded with more than a hundred other bustling students; cacophonous chatter filling the air. The pounding of footsteps meeting with the polished wooden floor sent echoing screeches down the halls as it melded with the raucous prattling. Orihime sighed as she quietly rose from her seat, ready to pack her belongings and leave. Finally, it was the weekend and she wanted to be alone. Although, she were already spending most of her hours alone, she still wanted for it to stay that way. It wasn't anyone else's fault, really. She just felt better like that. Because, ever since then, it were always like this. She was always on her own. Whether it'd be to taking little strolls in the grassy parks or simply to staying at home with a good book in her hands, isolation had always made her feel better; at least when it came to forgetting the past.

As she reached for her folders, organizing them into neat little piles, she thought about all the possible things she could squeeze into her afternoon. Maybe she would go and eat some ice cream, take a stroll in the park, go watch a movie, or go to the library; too many things to do with too little time.

Orihime continued to shuffle her papers in silence when a familiar presence appeared in front of her.

"Yo!"

Glancing up, she was met with his familiar look of apparent concern.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

Orihime could only wonder if her fake enthusiasm had been too obvious.

"Hey, sup. So, uh...are you busy today, Inoue?"

Orihime flinched, guilt pinching her in the gut. She had a feeling that he was going to ask her that. After all, maybe she was being a little too obvious about wanting to distance herself from her friends lately. But then again, how else was she supposed to create her own space and time without being too suspicious or rude?

She simply nodded, "I am really sorry Kurosaki-kun, but you see, I am awfully busy today as well."

"Oh...well. It's just that..." He began to rub the back of his neck in an awkward manner. "Well, you see, everyone's just kind of been worried about how you've-"

"ORIHIME!"

Ichigo abruptly swallowed his own sentence, double taking at a thundering set of footsteps pounding towards them. Startled, yet gracefully, Orihime stuffed the rest of her papers into her school bag, soon turning around to face a puffing individual. She smiled brightly at her familiar friend, calling her name with glee.

"Tatsuki-chan!"

Tatsuki jerked herself to a halt in front of the two, grasping her knees as she huffed and gasped, desperately trying to regain her raspy breathing.

"…Tatsuki-chan?" Orihime gripped the strap of her bag, concern knitting her eyebrows.

After what had seemed like several attempts in order to speak, Tatsuki finally managed to choke out her words.

"He-He's here!"

Orihime cocked her head to the side, further confusion contorting her features. "...Who?"

And without explanation nor hesitation, Tatsuki roughly grabbed Orihime by the wrist and whipped themselves around.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time to explain! Ichigo! I'm going to borrow Orihime for the rest of the day, sorry!"

Stunned, Orihime furiously shook her head in disagreement. "W-What?! Wait! I'm busy today! I have to atte-"

And before she was given the chance to further protest, reluctantly, Orihime was dragged out of the classroom, and down the hallway. Carelessly bumping into students and grunting at the discomfort, Tatsuki tried her best as she efficiently escaped the building, momentarily looking behind her shoulder in order to confirm Orihime's wrist within her grasp.

Wincing at the pain from Tatsuki's strong grip, Orihime frowned, discomfort adorning her delicate features. She wanted an explanation right then and there and with an obvious look of displeasure, Orihime questioned Tatsuki impatiently, unwillingly tailing behind.

"Can you please explain why we're in such a hurry?"

Tatsuki ignored her, her purple gaze whipping around the bustling campus.

"Uhm…Tatsuki-chan?"

"Come!"

Orihime's patience wore thin as she intended to get her answers. A stronger tone graced with irritation, Orihime slightly scowled.

"Tatsuki-chan!"

Finally, as Tatsuki's grip had loosened the slightest, Orihime forcefully pulled her wrist away, grimacing. "Please, Tatsuki-chan. Can you at least tell me what is going-"

"Yo."

Orihime stopped mid-sentence and swallowed her words. She recognized that voice. Of course she did. How could she forget? Orihime stopped dead-track, her mind blanking out.

"Long time no see, Orihime Inoue."

The coarse voice greeted her from directly behind. Freezing in her stance, her eyes grew as wide as saucers.

Tatsuki simply smiled, greeting the other with a calm sigh. "Hey, Grimmjow."

Her heart stopped. Pain, shaking her to the core as she slowly turned around.

"Yo."

The tears blinding her gaze, she choked on her own breath. Her voice cracking, she whispered his name; a name that she had never thought of speaking again.

"...Grimm...jow..?"

Clamping her hands over her quivering lips, she gasped as the tears stained her cheeks. Her heaving breaths shaking her body, she desperately swallowed her shallow cries. And there he was, standing directly in front of her, casually smiling his all too familiar signature smirk.

"Hey princess. Missed me?"


End file.
